University College School, generally known as
UCS, is an Independent school charity
situated in Hampstead,
north west London, England. The school was founded
in 1830 by University College London and
inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views.
Remarkably original and probably unique at that time, the School
today is increasingly well known and respected for its ethos of
inclusivity, liberal scholarship and high academic standards.
According to the Good Schools
Guide, the school "Achieves impressive exam results with a
relaxed atmosphere."[1]

History

A painting of University College School, Frognal, Hampstead in the
early twentieth Century

According to H.J.K. Usher (author of An Angel without
Wings), giving a detailed history of UCS is
close to impossible as many of its early records were lost when the
archives of University College London
were destroyed during bombing in the Second World War, and because
many documents were destroyed or left to rot by a headmaster, C.S.
Walton who believed "that tradition began with him".

The following is largely based on the published histories of the
School which are given as references at the bottom of the page.

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Foundation

UCS was founded in 1830 by what was then the University of
London (now University College London). The University of London
had been inspired by the work of Jeremy Bentham and others to provide
opportunities for higher education for people regardless of
religious beliefs (if any) - at the time, only members of the established
Church could study at Cambridge and Oxford (the only other two
universities in England at
the time). Furthermore, the subjects taught at Cambridge and Oxford
at the time were very narrow with classical subjects
dominating.

University College found that fewer pupils were being admitted
than had been expected and that the quality of the school education
of many of its applicants was inadequate. Several of the founders
of UCL therefore took the decision to establish a
school.

According to A Tradition for Freedom, further
inspiration for the School came from an elderly Jeremy Bentham
who had attacked the traditional education he had been given, and
Church of England schools in Chrestomathia.

The first headmaster was The Reverend Henry Browne, who quickly
caused controversy, by publishing a prospectus for the School which
appeared to include some type of communal worship. This was quickly
replaced with a new version which also stated that the School would
not use corporal punishment (highly unusual at the time).

The School opened at 16 Gower Street (from where the sobriquet
'Old Gower' derives) on November 1, 1830, under
the name 'The London University School'. Browne
soon resigned from his position and was replaced by John Walker (an
assistant Master).

By February 1831 it had outgrown its quarters, in October 1831,
the Council of UCL agreed to formally take over
the school and it was brought within the walls of the College in
1832, with a joint headmastership of Professors Thomas Hewitt
Key and Henry
Malden.

The School was very original - it was never a boarding school
(though there were at times pupils who boarded in private lodgings
or with teachers), it was one of the first schools to teach modern
languages, and sciences,
and it was one of the first to abolish corporal
punishment. It has also been noted that, in fact,
UCS had a gymnasium before the school that is
generally credited with having the first gym. Originally, there
were no compulsory subjects and no rigid form system. Most boys
learnt Latin and French, and
many learnt German (a highly unusual subject to
teach at that time). Mathematics, Chemistry, Classical Greek and
English
were also taught. There was no religious teaching.

Under the University College London (Transfer) Act 1905,
University College London became part of the federal University of
London, and the School was created as a separate corporation.

UCS moved away to new purpose built buildings
in Frognal in Hampstead
in 1907, which were opened by HM King Edward VII with the Archbishop of Canterbury in
attendance on July 27. Kikuchi Dairoku was invited to the
first annual prize giving at Frognal where he represented those who
had received their prizes at Gower Street.

The Sixth Form Centre, which also houses the Theatre, was opened
by the HRH TheDuke of
Kent in 1974.

In 1980 Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited
the school to celebrate its 150th Anniversary and to inaugurate the
rebuilt hall which had been destroyed by fire in 1978.

In 1993 a new library, music school, lecture theatre, computer
laboratory, sports hall, geography block, mathematics School and
further classrooms were added to the senior school site. The Junior
Branch buildings were also refurbished, with the addition of an Art
& Technology Centre.

In 2005 UCS announced a four year £12 million
development programme.

The Sir Roger
Bannister Sports Centre was officially opened by Sir Roger
(himself an Old Gower) in December 2006. A new Art, Design
Technology and Modern Languages building came into use from
November 2007 and, in a gesture of respct to one of the School's
intellectual founding fathers, was formally opened as the Jeremy Bentham
building by The Duke of
Gloucester on 22 May 2008. Also in 2008, the Sixth Form Centre
was completely renovated along with most of the School's interior
and classrooms were renovated. In September 2008, the first intake
of girls into the sixth form entered UCS.

Academic
results

As policy, UCS does not measure academic
success by exam result league tables, however the school is firmly
based in the top of the national league tables as shown below;

2008

93.7% of A level exams were graded A/B and 81.1% of GCSEs
(including IGCSE maths and science) were graded A*/A.

UCS came 25th of all schools nationally
according to The Times. In terms of schools which were for boys
only, UCS came 5th. [2].

The Financial
Times rated UCS the 17th Best School in
England in its September 2008 report [3].

2006

93% of A level exams were graded A/B and 83% of GCSEs were
graded A*/A.

UCS came 25th in the Telegraph independent
school A-Level league table (within the 'Premier League'). [4].

In terms of independent schools for boys, UCS
came within the top 10 schools nationally. [5].

The Times ranked UCS as the 45th best School in
England for GCSE results 2006. [6]. This ranked the
school as 19th in terms of schools where boys can attend. For
schools which accept only boys the school was ranked 15th.

The Times 'Parent Power' 2006 Survey ranked UCS
27th in the secondary school category for independent schools.[7]. For boys
schools UCS was ranked 10th. It was also wrongly
labelled as mixed.

The Good Schools Guide named
UCS as the best English school (points score) for
any pupils taking classical Greek A-level in 2006. [8]

UCS was separately named best boys independent
school for classical Greek A-Level 2006. [9]

UCS was also named best independent school
(points score) for boys for Logic / Philosophy A-Level 2006. [10]

Community
action

A major part of the contemporary school culture is community
action, where for about six weeks a year students raise money for
various charities (2009 total - £20,000).

School motto, colours,
songs etc

UCS Logo (from stationery)

The school motto is "Paulatim sed firmiter", roughly translated
as "Steadily but surely". The school song is called
Paulatim.

Paulatim Lyrics
Back in the old time, the morning time, the brave time,
Earnest hearts once labour'd for the halls we tread;
Paulatim, Paulatim, Paulatim!
Paulatim, blow on blow,
They laid intolerance low,
Up, up and let us follow where our founders led,
Up, up and let us follow where our founders led.

Now in the new time, the noontide time, the brave time,
Lightsome hearts are beating in the halls we tread;
Paulatim, Paulatim, Paulatim!
Paulatim, blow on blow,
Let us lay ignorance low,
And broaden out the pathway where our founders led,
And broaden out the pathway where our founders led.

On in far time, the twilight time, the brave time,
Hearts will hold an echo of the halls we tread;
Paulatim, Paulatim, Paulatim!
Paulatim, blow on blow,
May they lay tyrannies low,
Tho' they fall beside the highway where our founders led,
Tho' they fall beside the highway where our founders led.

UCS publishes a termly newsletter called
The Frognal and a yearly magazine called The
Gower; both publications are sent to current and past students
for free. The latest editions are available on the school website.
The website also allows people to sign up for a monthly
E-zine newsletter.

A Masonic lodge (the Paulatim Lodge) exists, which former pupils
or those with links to the school may join.

Arrangement

The UCS Foundation is composed of three main
entities:

"The Phoenix School", co-educational for ages 3 to 7. This was
acquired by UCS in 2003.

"The Junior Branch", boys ages 7 to 11 (primary).
This is also known as "Holly Hill", or "The JB".

"The Senior School", boys ages 11–16 and co-educational for
ages 16–18.(secondary). This is commonly
referred to as just "UCS".

The Senior School site is divided into seven buildings:

The main building, housing English, History, Maths (since June
2008) and Politics classrooms, and also the ICT, learning Support
and Geography departments in the crypt (basement). The building
also houses the Headmaster's office, main School office and the
Common Room.

The "Kent Building", housing the 'Lund Theatre' and the Sixth
Form Centre.

The "Sir Roger Bannister Sports Centre". Completed in the
second half of 2006, the centre contains a 6 lane swimming pool,
two indoor sports areas, a fully equipped gym and the Sixth Form
Costa Coffee cafe. This is open to the 6th Form and members using
the UCS Active health and fitness club.

Location

The Senior School site is located on Frognal, in Hampstead - a suburb of London. The main campus and the
Great Hall are noted examples of Edwardian architecture. Inside the
hall is a magnificent pipe
organ, used for school concerts, professional recordings and
other festivities.

The Junior Branch and the Phoenix School are located on two
separate campuses in Hampstead. The Junior Branch has its own
Library, Science Laboratory, Music, Computer and Drama rooms.

Both the Phoenix School and the JB use the School playing fields
as well as the Sir Roger
Bannister sports centre at Frognal.

Year names
and Demes

The Senior School is divided into three schools by age, and each
year has a unique name:

Lower School

Entry

Year 7

Shell

Year 8

Middle School

Lower Remove

Year 9

Remove

Year 10

Upper Remove

Year 11

Upper School

Transitus

Lower Sixth (Year 12)

Sixth Form

Upper Sixth (Year 13)

Students in the Middle School and Upper School are arranged into
Demes, each named after a former prominent member of staff. This is
similar to a school house. In the Middle School, there is one
form (class) per year in each Deme, and in the Upper School there
are two forms per year in each Deme. There are regular inter-Deme
competitions in sports throughout the year. In the Middle School
the distinctive school blazer carries a coloured school logo on the
breast pocket depicting the pupil's Deme. There are currently six
Demes:

Baxters --- Blue

Black Hawkins --- Yellow

Evans --- Black (Pink Badge)

Flooks --- Green

Underwoods --- Purple

Olders (Girls Deme, 6th Form Only) --- Red

Admissions

There are 5 main points of entry for prospective pupils:

Phoenix School, at age 3 (Nursery), offered to siblings and UCS
connections in first instance. Entry at 4+, 5+, 6+ by assessment by
Headmistress.

Junior Branch, at ages 7 or 8, judged by combination of
internal exam and interview.

Lower School, at age 11, judged by combination of internal exam
and interview.

Middle School, at age 13, judged by combination of internal
exam and interview.

Upper School, at age 16, judged by subject-specific exams and
interviews, conditional upon GCSE
results. This is only available for a handful of boys and around 35
girls.

Since the acquisition of the Phoenix School, a pupil transfer
between the school and the Junior Branch is in place at age 7 for
those "displaying academic potential".

A president of the Royal Academy and several members of it,
one of the four founders of the BBC, at least one Academy Award
winner, film and television stars, broadcasters, musicians,
artists, playwrights and composers.

Notable
students

Notable
faculty

Former staff include:

John Lewis Alexander Paton, Headmaster 1888-1903, Stayed only
five years. He left due to constant arguments with the Council of
University College London
about money and the school's need to move out of central London. He
left to become Head Master of Manchester Grammar School
(1903–24), according to the Manchester Grammar School website, he
was eventually recognised as one of the most renowned school
masters of the 20th century and refused a Knighthood and a CH.

John Williams, taught at UCS
post World War II, first Master of Music at St Peter ad Vincula,
Tower of London, which was then a royal chapel. Professor at the Royal
College of Music. Honorary fellow of the Royal College of Music
and Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts.